I wonder if we can note York for 2028? Article April 2023

City of York: Historic Urban Core (United Kingdom)

Reports from 2022-2023 indicate various hopeful inscription dates, the earliest being 2026, but more indicating 2027 or 2028. While speculative, York does seem to be the frontrunner from the UK's updated Tentative List.

We also know Korea's Sites of the Busan Wartime Capital is aiming for 2028.

City Walls of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (China)

In November there was the "International Academic Symposium on Military Defense and Heritage Protection of Ancient City Walls" held in Nanjing. Furthermore, we have all of China's nominations for 2024 to 2027 scheduled (with some confidence). So, there are some logical reasons to believe China's City Wall nomination could be submitted in time for 2028.

"With the end of the COVID-19 epidemic, the application work of China's Ming and Qing City Walls projects is also rapidly resuming and progressing. It is hoped that China's Ming and Qing City Walls projects will be officially recognized in the near future." https://pdf.hanspub.org/SD20240300000_96095910.pdf

The Transatlantic Cable Stations in Ireland & Canada are also aiming for inscription in 2028.

*Els posted this a while back!

Transatlantic Cable Ensemble (Canada, Ireland)

Outlines the Nomination milestones / plan by year:
https://www.valentiacable.com/unesco/

I noticed a new TV program/documentary in Ireland called 'The Cable that Changed the World' premiered in August.

Lastly, a preliminary assessment is planned for submittion to UNESCO by September.

My goodness, are there really not more interesting, non Tuscan nominations? Like working more on the Sardinian ones, or the new Calabrian ones...

The historic ensemble of Orchha (India)


Already submitted in advance (as previously reported). Some reports said 2027-28, however from the post below 2028 seems to be the scheduled date? So what does this mean for 2027? I wonder if we can find an Indian nomination that is either competing with Orchha or might already be queued up for 2027?

On Facebook: Including a graphic indicating 2028

India's Ambassador to UNESCO, Shri Vishal V. Sharma, has proudly submitted the Orchha Dossier to Mr. Lazare Eloundou Assomo, Director, World Heritage Centre, UNESCO! This pivotal step brings Orchha closer to securing its spot on the UNESCO World Heritage List by 2028. With its majestic temples, palaces, and rich cultural legacy, Orchha is ready to shine on the global stage! Let's celebrate this proud achievement together!

Austria - Iron Trail with Erzberg and the old town of Steyr
Will submit their preliminary assessment in 2025.

https://www.noen.at/ybbstal/arbeit-an-vorstudie-oesterreichische-eisenstrasse-ist-weiterhin-auf-unesco-welterbe-kurs-458844399

winterkjm

This refers to the entire cycle of world heritage evaluation. Ex- Charaideo Moidams were nominated for 2023-24. It means State party has submitted dossier before Jan 2023 & post evaluation, the property gets inscribed in 2024.

India already had lined up 3 dossiers already till 2026-27. However, there are few recent instances where it did not follow the queue due to unknown reasons. Ex- Even though Sarnath Dossier was prepared earlier, India had selected Charaideo dossier (link attached below) in 2023-24, & Maratha forts in 2024-25 over Sarnath. Fortunately Sarnath's chance came on 2025-26.

https://www.northeasttoday.in/2024/04/08/charaideo-maidams-likely-to-get-unesco-heritage-tag-this-year-says-assam-cm-sarma/

Another thing to keep in mind for 2028:
"the transition period will end in 2027, and that the Preliminary Assessment will be mandatory, meaning that only nominations with a Preliminary Assessment will be examined by the World Heritage Committee from 2028 onwards"

https://whc.unesco.org/en/decisions/7634/

China now aims for Sanxingdui for 2028

WHC 2028

Asia and the Pacific
- Parramatta Female Factory and Institutions Precinct (Australia)
- Sanxingdui (China)
- The Historic Ensemble of Orchha (India)
- Songkhla and its Associated Lagoon Settlements (Thailand)
- Zomin Mountains (Uzbekistan)

Europe and North America
- Iron Trail with Erzberg and the old town of Steyr (Austria)
- Wanuskewin (Canada)
- Transatlantic Cable Ensemble (Canada, Ireland)
- The System of the Ville-fattoria in Chianti Classico (Italy)
- Itálica, Ceremonial City (Spain)

Latin America and the Caribbean
- La Payunia, Campos Volcánicos Llancanelo y Payún Matrú (Argentina)

Looks like the long dormant Armenian tentative site (from 1995) 'The Monasteries of Tatev and Tatevi Anapat and the Adjacent Areas of the Vorotan Valley' has begun the preliminary nomination process. Based on the sources below, it seems to have been submitted for preliminary evaluation in 2024.

Tatev Monastery and Vorotan Gorge (Armenia)

https://arminfo.info/full_news.php?id=91437&lang=1

https://www.pastinfo.am/hy/news/2025/05/12/%D5%8F%D5%A1%D5%A9%D6%87/1931763

Well-spotted, winterkjm! Were you Googling in Armenian?